Hand recount on anti-fracking charter amendment set for Dec. 1

YOUNGSTOWN — A hand recount of an anti-fracking charter amendment in Youngstown will start Dec. 1 and could take two days to complete.

Backers of the so-called Community Bill of Rights said they will officially ask for the recount Saturday after the Mahoning County Board of Elections certifies the results of the Nov. 3 general election.

It would be the first hand recount of paper ballots in the county in at least two decades.

The anti-fracking measure failed for the fifth time though the 2.94 percent margin of defeat is the closest.

The board will count provisional and late-arriving absentee ballots Saturday and certify the ballot. That could slightly alter that margin.

Also, the certification will make Struthers Mayor Terry Stocker’s write-in campaign victory official.

Stocker is beating Democrat Danny Thomas Jr. 1,408 to 1,335 – a 73-vote lead.

Election board officials said there are 69 uncounted provisional and late absentee ballots to count in Struthers today so Thomas can’t catch Stocker.

For the complete story, read Saturday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com